2025 Dacia Bigster Rendering Depicts Sub-$25K Compact SUV, What's the U.S. Equivalent?

We’ve still got more questions than answers as it pertains to the Bigster. However, we do know that it’ll measure 181.1 inches (4,600 mm) in length, just like the fifth-generation RAV4. Whether it will match the latter in terms of width and height remains to be seen. What we know for certain is that it’ll be considerably larger than the Duster, which is a sub-compact SUV.

By European standards, one might call the Bigster midsize, but technically, it’ll be a C-segment car, riding on a C-segment platform, so ‘compact’ it is.

Asking what the U.S. equivalent might be for the Bigster is somewhat a moot point. Compact SUVs are rarely (if ever) this cheap in America. The RAV4 is priced from $28,675, while the Kia Sportage is a little cheaper at $27,190. Then you’ve got the Tucson from $27,500 – but everything else is mainly a $30,000 affair within this segment.

Still, I’m not going to mail this one in, and with a bit of digging, I think I may have just found the perfect "Red, White and Blue" equivalent to the upcoming Dacia Bigster. Yes, it’s something that you can definitely purchase within the continental United States. Drum roll please – it's the Chevrolet Equinox!

But wait, it’s not just any Equinox. It’s not the all-new 2025 fourth-gen Equinox; but rather the third-gen model which is actually still on sale today from just $26,600. I reckon it’s about the same size as the Bigster, and it’s currently the cheapest "true" C-segment SUV you can buy in the U.S. I know the Buick Envista is cheaper, but it's more of an SUV Coupe (less practical).

In terms of styling, the Bigster will clearly take after its smaller sibling, the Duster, which is a good thing. The latter, as an all-new model, looks better than ever. I like what Dacia has done from a design language standpoint. Their SUVs are rugged and youthful, and from this POV, I think U.S. buyers could enjoy looking at them.

If you need a little more help picturing the Bigster as a production-ready model, here’s a rendering courtesy of Kolesa, based on the latest batch of spy images we’ve received. Bigster prototypes are already out and about undergoing road tests in Europe, and this rendering does a great job of peeling away the camouflage and showing you the finished product.

As for pricing, it’s way too early to speculate. However, since the all-new Duster kicks off from €18,950 ($20,442) in Germany, it would make sense for the Bigster to be priced from around €23,000 ($25,000). Ultimately, I doubt Dacia will ever set foot in the United States, unless something drastic happens in terms of the market and the economy as a whole.